For many at Squire Patton Boggs, the nature of Michael Cohen’s presence in the firm’s New York office was a mystery.

Cohen, who was given an office on the firm’s 23rd floor at Rockefeller Center as part of a “strategic alliance” with his practice, kept a lock on his door. He didn’t appear to work on client matters with firm attorneys in New York, and whatever benefit he provided to the firm wasn’t apparent to his office colleagues.